Cycloneuroterus Melika & Tang

Tang, Chang-Ti, Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Yang, Man-Miao & Stone, Graham N, 2011, A new genus of oak gallwasps, Cycloneuroterus Melika & Tang, with the description of five new species from Taiwan (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), Zootaxa 3008, pp. 33-62 : 35-36

Cycloneuroterus Melika & Tang , new genus

Type species: Cycloneuroterus lilungi Tang, Melika & Yang , new species. Designated herein.

Etymology. The name of the genus indicates the host association with the subgenus Cyclobalanopsis of the genus Quercus , and the morphological similarity to the genus Neuroterus .

Gender: Masculine.

Diagnosis. Similar to Neuroterus in that the entire body has very few sparse short white setae; the head is rounded in anterior view, never transverse or trapezoid, genae not or very slightly broadened behind compound eyes, usually invisible in anterior view and the head is not broader than the width of the mesosoma; the prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium 2.5–4.0 times as long as broad in ventral view; the male antenna with 13 flagellomeres, F1 equal or slightly longer (or shorter) than F2. In Cycloneuroterus , the female and male head is nearly similar in shape, compound eyes and ocelli in males are not or only slightly enlarged compare to those of the female; the transfacial distance in the female is longer than the height of the compound eye; the pronotum is foveolate along the anterior margin; notauli absent; the lateral propodeal carina is complete, strong, distinct in both females and males; the female antenna with 12 flagellomeres, the male antenna with 13 flagellomeres, F1 of male antenna always curved and swollen; the malar sulcus always absent; all tarsal claws are simple, without a basal lobe. In Neuroterus , the female and male head is different, compound eyes and ocelli in males are strongly enlarged compare to those of the female; the transfacial distance in the female is always shorter than the height of the compound eye ( Figs 94–97 ); the pronotum is invaginated but not foveolate along the anterior margin ( Fig. 103 ); notauli traceable ( Fig. 100 ); the lateral propodeal carina is absent or incomplete, in both females and males ( Fig. 104 ); the female and male antennae with 13 flagellomeres, F 1 in male antenna always straight or very slightly curved apically, never swollen in the apical part ( Figs 98–99 ); all tarsal claws have a distinct basal lobe. Several “non-typical” Neuroterus species are discussed in Discussion below. Four of the described Cycloneuroterus species induce galls on Quercus subgenus Cyclobalanopsis and one species on Lithocarpus , while all Neuroterus species induce galls on Quercus subgenus Quercus .

Cycloneuroterus also resembles sexual Cerroneuroterus and Trichagalma ; however, the latter two genera lack distinct lateral propodeal carinae on the propodeum and their notauli are always complete (e.g. Cerroneuroterus vonkuenburgi ) or visible at least on the posterior half of the mesoscutum (other Cerroneuroterus and Trichagalma species).

Description. Head dark brown to black, with lighter lower face and gena; antennae, mandibles, mouthparts, palpi labialis and maxillaris light brown; mesosoma and metasoma light brown to blackish brown; legs light brown to dirty yellowish. Female and male head nearly similar in shape, compound eyes and ocelli in males not or only slightly enlarged compared to those of female; transfacial distance in female head longer than height of compound eye. Head delicately alutaceous to smooth, with few white setae, more dense on lower face; compound eyes parallel or slightly converging ventrally. Malar sulcus always absent. Vertex and occiput alutaceous to delicately coriaceous. Occipital carina absent, postocciput and postgena smooth or alutaceous, shiny to matt, without setae, without or very few very delicate parallel and longitudinal striae, extend from occipital foramen and reaching upper level of hypostoma; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, deep; height of occipital and oral foramen equal to or slightly longer than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulcus. Female antenna with 12 flagellomeres, male antenna with 13 flagellomeres, F1 of male antenna always curved and swollen ( Figs 1–8 , 18–25 , 36–40 , 56–62 , 72–80 ).

Pronotum foveolate along anterior margin; propleuron alutaceous, shiny, with smooth area centrally. Mesoscutum smooth, shiny, with few white setae; slightly longer than broad (largest width measured across mesoscutum on level of base of tegulae). Notauli, parapsidal and median mesoscutal lines absent, anterior parallel lines absent or sometimes indicated by rows of setae; parascutal carina usually broad, extending to the point where notaulus usually reaches pronotum. Mesoscutellum longer than broad, with parallel or subparallel sides, smooth, shiny, with very few setae, slightly overhanging metanotum; emarginate and impressed along lateral and posterior margins. Scutellar foveae absent, only a semilunar transverse depression present anteriorly, with smooth glabrous bottom. Mesopleuron and speculum smooth, shiny, without setae, impressed and foveolate along acetabular carina, sometimes with some delicate wrinkles in central part only. Dorsal axillar area smooth, shiny, with dense white setae; mesopleural triangle alutaceous to smooth; lateral axillar area smooth, with few setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shiny; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron in the upper 1/3 of its height. Metascutellum smooth to delicately coriaceous, metanotal trough smooth, shiny, with few short white setae; central propodeal area broad, smooth, shiny, without or with few delicate wrinkles, lateral propodeal carinae strong, high, strongly curved outwards in the middle or posterior half; lateral propodeal area smooth, shiny with dense setae and piliferous points. Nucha without irregular rugae ( Figs 9–12 , 14 , 26–30 , 42–47 , 63–67 , 81–86 ).

Tarsal claws simple, without basal lobe. Forewing longer than body, hyaline, with distinct long dense cilia on margin, radial cell long; R1 reaching wing margin, Rs straight, reaching wing margin; areolet large, triangular, closed and distinct; Rs+M or its projection reaching basalis at lower half of its height ( Figs 13 , 31 , 41 , 87 ).

Metasoma slightly shorter than head+mesosoma, longer or equal to its height in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergite occupying 1/3 to 1/2 of metasoma length in dorsal view, with very few white setae laterally, all subsequent tergites without setae, smooth, shiny. Ventral spine of hypopygium short, with sparse, white subapical setae, not extending beyond apex of spine ( Figs 15 , 32–33 , 48–50 , 68–70 , 88–90 ). Body length 1.3–2.1 mm in females, 1.2–2.0 mm in males.

A key to the Palaearctic Cynipini gallwasp genera which lack the transscutal articulation ( Trichagalma , Neuroterus , Cerroneuroterus , Pseudoneuroterus , Latuspina , and Cycloneuroterus ) is given below. These six genera are characterized by the following features: the transscutal articulation medially is indistinct or absent, the mesoscutum emarginate and elevated posterolaterally above dorsal axillar area, fused with the mesoscutellum; the mesoscutellum without foveae, with an anterior scutellar depression; the prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium always short, pointed to the apex, never more than 2.0 – 4.0 times as long as broad, with some long subapical setae, which never form a distinct tuft; the metasoma compressed laterally. Additional information on the host associations, shape and structure of galls, and geographic distribution can be very useful when identifying these taxa; also the Cynipini generic key in Melika et al. (2010) provides further information, as well as illustrations to all character states mentioned in the below key.

Figures

FIGURES 94 – 101. Neuroterus quercusbaccarum, sexual generation: 94 – 95, head, female: 94, anterior view, 95, dorsal view. 96 – 97, head, male: 96, anterior view, 97, dorsal view. 98 – 99, antenna: 98, female, 99, male. 100, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 101, mesoscutellum, dorsal view.

FIGURES 102 – 107. Neuroterus quercusbaccarum, sexual female: 102, forewing, 103, mesosoma, lateral view, 104, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view, 105 – 106, metasoma, lateral view: 105, female, 106, male. 107, ventral spine of hypopygium, lateral view.

FIGURES 1 – 8. Cycloneuroterus lilungi, new species: 1 – 3, head, female: 1, anterior view, 2, dorsal view, 3, posterior view. 4 – 6, head, male: 4, anterior view, 5, dorsal view, 6, posterior view. 7 – 8, antenna: 7, female, 8, male.

FIGURES 18 – 25. Cycloneuroterus longinuxus, new species: 18 – 21, head, female: 18, anterior view, 19, dorsal view, 20, posterior view, 21, lateral view. 22 – 23, head, male: 22, anterior view, 23, dorsal view. 24 – 25, antenna: 24, female, 25, male.

FIGURES 36 – 41. Cycloneuroterus lirongchiuea, new species, female: 36 – 39, head: 36, anterior view, 37, dorsal view, 38, posterior view, 39, clypeus and lower face, anterior view. 40, antenna, 41, forewing.

FIGURES 56 – 62. Cycloneuroterus fortuitusus, new species: 56 – 58, head, female: 56, anterior view, 57, dorsal view, 58, pos-

FIGURES 72 – 80. Cycloneuroterus formosanus, new species: 72 – 74, head, female: 72, anterior view, 73, dorsal view, 74, posterior view. 75 – 77, head, male: 75, anterior view, 76, dorsal view, 77, posterior view. 78 – 79, antenna: 78, female, 79, male. 80, scape, pedicel and F 1 of male antenna.

FIGURES 9 – 13. Cycloneuroterus lilungi, new species, female: 9, mesosoma, lateral view, 10, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 11, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 12, pronotum and propleuron, anterior view, 13, forewing.

FIGURES 14 – 17. Cycloneuroterus lilungi, new species, female: 14, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view, 15, metasoma, female, lateral view. 16 – 17, gall (photos by Chang-Ti Tang).

FIGURES 26 – 31. Cycloneuroterus longinuxus, new species, female: 26, mesosoma, lateral view, 27, propleuron, anterior view, 28, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 29, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 30, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view, 31, forewing.

FIGURES 42 – 47. Cycloneuroterus lirongchiuea, new species, female: 42, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 43, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 44, pronotum and propleuron, anterior view, 45, mesosoma, lateral view, 46, mesosoma, ventral view, 47, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 63 – 67. Cycloneuroterus fortuitusus, new species, female: 63, mesosoma, lateral view, 64, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 65, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 66, pronotum and propleuron, anterior view, 67, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 81 – 86. Cycloneuroterus formosanus, new species, female: 81, mesoscutum, dorsal view, 82, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 83, pronotum and propleuron, anterior view, 84, mesosoma, lateral view, 85, mesosoma, ventral view, 86, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 87 – 93. Cycloneuroterus formosanus, new species, female: 87, forewing, 88, metasoma, female, lateral view, 89 – 90, ventral spine of hypopygium: 89, lateral view, 90, ventral view. 91 – 93, gall (photos by Chang-Ti Tang).

FIGURES 32 – 35. Cycloneuroterus longinuxus, new species: 32 – 33, metasoma: 32, female, 33, male. 34 – 35, gall (photos by Chang-Ti Tang).

FIGURES 48 – 55. Cycloneuroterus lirongchiuea, new species, female: 48, metasoma, female, lateral view. 49 – 50, ventral spine of the hypopygium: 49, lateral view, 50, ventral view. 51, habitus of female, lateral view (photo by Chang-Ti Tang). 52 – 55, gall (photos by Chang-Ti Tang).

FIGURES 68 – 71. Cycloneuroterus fortuitusus, new species, female: 68, metasoma, female, lateral view, 69 – 70, ventral spine of hypopygium: 69, lateral view, 70, ventral view. 71, gall (photo by Chang-Ti Tang).